U.S. 2002/0,034,670 discloses a seal for sealing a membrane electrode assembly wherein the difference in height between the seal and the gas diffusion layer of the MEA is constant. The reference also discloses a method for forming a seal by injection molding wherein an MEA is placed in a forming die held under a fixed pressure and the seal material is charged into the cavity.
U.S. 2001/0,019,790 and U.S. 2001/0,019,791 disclose a fuel cell comprising a multi-lobe gasket which may be molded to a polymer electrolyte membrane.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,337,120 discloses a gasket formed into a groove of a sheet material.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,261,711 discloses a seal for a fuel cell which includes a gasket disposed within a groove in a fuel cell flow plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,628 discloses a fuel cell including porous substrates impregnated at their periphery with a thermoplastic material.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,503 discloses a fuel cell wherein a MEA is adhesively bound to one or more separator plates.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,057,054 discloses, in some embodiments, an MEA having co-extensive polymer electrolyte membrane and porous electrode layers having a seal material such as silicone impregnated into the porous electrode layers. The reference discloses, in other embodiments, an MEA having a seal material impregnated into the porous electrode layers thereof, where the seal extends beyond the MEA. The seal may include a pattern of ribs and cross-ribs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,928,807 discloses a polymer electrolyte fuel cell including an elastic, plastically deformable and electrically conductive graphite seal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,700 discloses a gasketing system for a fuel cell membrane electrode assembly (MEA) intended to minimize the amount of polymer electrolyte membrane material in the fuel cell by employing a gasketing material instead of polymer electrolyte membrane material at the periphery.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,621 discloses a sealing surface for fuel cell use which has a “crossed-ridge” pattern, and in particular a “crossed-ridge” pattern which forms square cells. The reference discloses a rigid cell frame embodying the crossed-ridge sealing surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,264,299 discloses a porous support body for use in an MEA having a peripheral portion filled with elastomeric material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,555 discloses a solid seal means to be interposed between electrode frame members of an electrolysis cell. The reference describes electrolysis cells with an internal separator, such as color-alkali cells depicted in FIGS. 17 and 18, and electrolysis cells without an internal separator, such as a chlorate cells. FIGS. 8 and 9 disclose hexagonal patterns.